Samantha Winders (born 5 June 1995), previously known as Samantha Sinclair, is a New Zealand netball international. She represented New Zealand at the 2018 Commonwealth Games and was a prominent member of the New Zealand team that won the 2021 Constellation Cup. She captained New Zealand for the third test against England during the 2021 Taini Jamison Trophy Series. She was subsequently named the 2021 Silver Fern Player of the Year. Between 2014 and 2022, she played for Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic, initially in the ANZ Championship and later in the ANZ Premiership. Between 2020 and 2022, she served as Magic captain.

Samantha Winders
Personal information
Full name Samantha Winders (née Sinclair)
Born (1995-06-05) June 5, 1995 (age 29)[1][2]
Rotorua, New Zealand[3]
Height 1.71 m (5 ft 7 in)[1][2]
School John Paul College, Rotorua
University University of Waikato
Netball career
Playing position(s): C, WA, WD
Years Club team(s) Apps
2014–2022 Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic 123
2022– 2023 Southern Steel 30
2024 Giants Netball 12
Years National team(s) Caps
2017– New Zealand 47
Medal record
Representing  New Zealand
Fast5 Netball World Series
Gold medal – first place 2016 Melbourne Team
Bronze medal – third place 2022 Christchurch Team

Early life, family and education

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Sinclair was born and raised in Rotorua. She is the daughter of Jamie and Justine Sinclair.[3][4][5][6][7][8] Between 2007 and 2013 she attended John Paul College, Rotorua, where she was deputy head girl.[5][9][10][11] Between 2014 and 2017 she attended the University of Waikato on a scholarship and subsequently became a Bachelor of Management Studies.[9][12][13][14][15] In 2019, Sinclair married Josef Winders, a fellow University of Waikato alumni and a BMX rider who has represented New Zealand.[16][17][18][19]

Playing career

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Early years

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Sinclair represented John Paul College in national secondary schools tournaments. Her school coaches included Coral Palmer, a former a New Zealand netball international. She also represented Bay of Plenty in the Lois Muir Challenge tournament.[20][21][22]

Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic

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Between 2014 and 2022, Winders made 123 senior appearances for Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic, initially in the ANZ Championship and later in the ANZ Premiership.[1][3][4][23][24][25][26] As Samantha Sinclair, she first attracted the attention of Magic while still attending John Paul College. She began training with Magic in 2011. She attended trials for the 2013 season but was not offered a contract until the 2014 season.[20][21][22][27] In both 2013 and 2014, she was a member of the Waikato Bay of Plenty teams that won Netball New Zealand's national under-23 tournament.[28][29][30] She made her senior debut for Magic on 1 March 2014 in a Round 1 70–46 win against Mainland Tactix, coming on at centre to replace Courtney Tairi for the fourth quarter.[27][31] In 2015 and 2016, she was a member of the Magic teams that won the New Zealand Conference.[32][33][34][35] Between 2020 and 2022, Winders served as Magic captain.[19][36][37][38] On 30 May 2021, Winders made her 100th senior league appearance in a match against Central Pulse.[39][40][41]

Southern Steel

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In July 2022, it was announced that Winders would be joining Southern Steel for the 2023 ANZ Premiership season.[24][42][43][44]

New Zealand

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Between 2011 and 2013, Sinclair represented New Zealand at schoolgirl level, playing in three Trans-Tasman Secondary Schools Netball Tournaments. In 2013, together with Jamie-Lee Price, she co-captained the New Zealand team that won the tournament.[20][21][45][46][47][48][49]

In June 2015, Sinclair was called up for trials for the senior New Zealand team.[10] She was a member of the New Zealand team that won the 2016 Fast5 Netball World Series.[7][12][14][50][51] In November 2016 she was included in the senior New Zealand for the first time.[5] Sinclair made her senior debut for New Zealand on 28 January 2017 against Australia during a 2017 Netball Quad Series match.[2][6][52] She went on to represent New Zealand at the 2018 Commonwealth Games.[8][12][53][54]

After missing out on several tournaments, including the 2019 Netball World Cup, Sinclair, now Winders, was recalled for the 2020 Taini Jamison Trophy Series.[17][55] She was a prominent member of the New Zealand team that won the 2021 Constellation Cup.[11][18][19][56] On 24 September 2021, Winders captained New Zealand for the third test against England during the 2021 Taini Jamison Trophy Series.[57] She was subsequently named the 2021 Silver Fern Player of the Year.[19][58][59][60] However, she was left out of the team for the 2022 Commonwealth Games[61]

Tournaments Place
2016 Fast5 Netball World Series[7][12][14][50][51]  
2017 Netball Quad Series (January/February)[2][6][62]  
2017 Netball Quad Series (August/September)[63]  
2017 Constellation Cup[64]  
2018 Netball Quad Series (January)[65] 3rd
2018 Taini Jamison Trophy Series[66][67] 2nd
2018 Commonwealth Games[8][12][54] 4th
2018 Netball Quad Series (September)[68] 3rd
2018 Constellation Cup[69][70]  
2019 Netball Quad Series[71] 3rd
2020 Taini Jamison Trophy Series[17][55][72][73]  
2021 Constellation Cup[11][18][19][56][74]  
2021 Taini Jamison Trophy Series[57][75]  
2022 Netball Quad Series[76][77] 3rd
2022 Fast5 Netball World Series[78][79]  

Honours

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New Zealand
Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic
Individual Awards
Year Award
2021[19][58][59][60] Silver Ferns Player of the Year

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Samantha Winders". www.anzpremiership.co.nz. Retrieved 23 November 2021.
  2. ^ a b c d "Samantha Winders (nee Sinclair)". www.silverferns.co.nz. Retrieved 23 November 2021.
  3. ^ a b c "ANZ Premiership Netball 2017 Media Guide" (PDF). www.anzpremiership.co.nz. 26 March 2017. Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 April 2017. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
  4. ^ a b "Netball: Home-grown talent at wing". www.nzherald.co.nz. 9 June 2014. Retrieved 20 July 2022.
  5. ^ a b c "Sinclair realises Silver Ferns dream". www.nzherald.co.nz. 14 November 2016. Retrieved 20 July 2022.
  6. ^ a b c "Newcomer Sam Sinclair realises big shoes to fill in Laura Langman's absence as Silver Ferns stumble against Australia". stuff.co.nz. 29 January 2017. Retrieved 20 July 2022.
  7. ^ a b c "Young netballers visit from Samantha Sinclair". stuff.co.nz. 4 May 2017. Retrieved 17 July 2022.
  8. ^ a b c Brendon Egan (15 July 2018). "Encouraging Wayne Smith message lifts Silver Fern Sam Sinclair in darkest hour". stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 17 July 2022.
  9. ^ a b "Samantha Sinclair". nz.linkedin.com. Retrieved 17 July 2022.
  10. ^ a b "Netball: Sinclair makes Ferns trials". www.nzherald.co.nz. 3 June 2015. Retrieved 18 July 2022.
  11. ^ a b c "Silver Fern Sam Winders finds her netball balance". stuff.co.nz. 11 March 2021. Retrieved 23 November 2021.
  12. ^ a b c d e "Samantha Sinclair". gc2018.com. Retrieved 17 July 2022.
  13. ^ "Hillary Scholarship for new Magic's player". www.waikato.ac.nz. 1 April 2014. Retrieved 20 July 2022.
  14. ^ a b c "Big time shot for Waikato netballers". www.waikato.ac.nz. 20 October 2016. Retrieved 17 July 2022.
  15. ^ "Silver Fern steps higher". www.waikato.ac.nz. 11 January 2019. Retrieved 18 July 2022.
  16. ^ "Scholarship for biker". stuff.co.nz. 25 March 2014. Retrieved 22 July 2022.
  17. ^ a b c "Silver Fern Sam Winders gets her second wind". stuff.co.nz. 27 October 2020. Retrieved 23 November 2021.
  18. ^ a b c Brendon Egan (6 March 2021). "Constellation Cup: Sam Winders rises from Silver Ferns' setbacks to become a stronger netballer". stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 16 July 2022.
  19. ^ a b c d e f "Pure As: Sam Winders". www.newsroom.co.nz. 4 June 2022. Retrieved 20 July 2022.
  20. ^ a b c "Sinclair one of tournament's top players". www.nzherald.co.nz. 6 June 2011. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
  21. ^ a b c "Award tops teen's stellar season". www.nzherald.co.nz. 10 October 2011. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
  22. ^ a b "Great week for Zone at NZ Secondary Schools". www.netballwbop.co.nz. 14 October 2013. Archived from the original on 9 February 2021. Retrieved 17 July 2022.
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  24. ^ a b "ANZ Premiership netball: A fresh start for Sam Winders with the Southern Steel". www.nzherald.co.nz. 7 July 2022. Retrieved 17 July 2022.
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  26. ^ "Samantha Winders". central.rookieme.com. Retrieved 17 July 2022.
  27. ^ a b "Netball: Hair apparent - Magic's recruit creates attention". www.nzherald.co.nz. 6 March 2014. Retrieved 20 July 2022.
  28. ^ "U19 and U23 NZ Age Group Championships results Day Four". www.scoop.co.nz. 19 July 2013. Retrieved 20 July 2022.
  29. ^ "Waikato-BoP win national u-23 netball title". stuff.co.nz. 10 July 2014. Retrieved 20 July 2022.
  30. ^ "Netball: Waikato edges South". www.odt.co.nz. 11 July 2014. Retrieved 20 July 2022.
  31. ^ "Sinclair now alongside childhood hero Kopua". stuff.co.nz. 7 March 2014. Retrieved 18 July 2022.
  32. ^ "Magic's Sam Sinclair out to play her own game against Mystics". stuff.co.nz. 3 April 2015. Retrieved 20 July 2022.
  33. ^ "A time to celebrate for Magic's Sam Sinclair". stuff.co.nz. 4 June 2015. Retrieved 20 July 2022.
  34. ^ "Netball Waikato Bay of Plenty Zone – Annual Report 2015" (PDF). www.netballwbop.co.nz. Retrieved 8 March 2022.
  35. ^ "Netball: Sinclair ready for big occasion". www.nzherald.co.nz. 14 April 2016. Retrieved 18 July 2022.
  36. ^ "ANZ Premiership: Sam Winders talks leadership, learning and writing books". www.skysports.com. 14 August 2020. Retrieved 17 July 2022.
  37. ^ "Sam Winders, Captain and Magic #63". www.netballmagic.co.nz. Retrieved 2 July 2022.
  38. ^ "Captain's word: Samantha Winders 2022". www.netballmagic.co.nz. Retrieved 2 July 2022.
  39. ^ "Magic midcourt dynamo Sam Winders reaches her premiership century". stuff.co.nz. 29 May 2021. Retrieved 20 July 2022.
  40. ^ "Magic midcourt dynamo Sam Winders reaches her premiership century". www.fijitimes.com. 29 May 2021. Retrieved 23 November 2021.
  41. ^ "Pulse make move with second straight win". anzpremiership.co.nz. 30 May 2021. Retrieved 20 July 2022.
  42. ^ "Sam Winders signs for Steel". www.odt.co.nz. 7 July 2022. Retrieved 16 July 2022.
  43. ^ "Midcourter Sam Winders signed to Southern Steel". stuff.co.nz. 7 July 2022. Retrieved 17 July 2022.
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  45. ^ "Netball: Samantha Sinclair again top of class". www.nzherald.co.nz. 9 April 2012. Retrieved 18 July 2022.
  46. ^ "SI players miss out on national schools team". stuff.co.nz. 12 April 2013. Retrieved 18 July 2022.
  47. ^ "Sinclair and Price to co-captain Secondary Schools". www.scoop.co.nz. 17 May 2013. Retrieved 18 July 2022.
  48. ^ "Dream end to school netball". stuff.co.nz. 6 June 2013. Retrieved 18 July 2022.
  49. ^ "2013 Netball New Zealand Annual Report" (PDF). www.silverferns.co.nz. Retrieved 8 April 2021.
  50. ^ a b "Fast5 History 2016". INF. 25 October 2018. Archived from the original on 8 July 2020. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
  51. ^ a b "Samantha Sinclair". www.olympic.org.nz. Retrieved 20 July 2022.
  52. ^ "Onwards and upwards for Rotorua netballer Sam Sinclair". www.nzherald.co.nz. 13 December 2017. Retrieved 18 July 2022.
  53. ^ "Netball: Sam Sinclair says the Silver Ferns have to toughen up". www.nzherald.co.nz. 3 February 2018. Retrieved 17 July 2022.
  54. ^ a b "Women Netball Commonwealth Games Golden Goast, Australia 2018". www.todor66.com. Retrieved 5 January 2020.
  55. ^ a b Brendon Egan (25 October 2020). "Monica Falkner set for Silver Ferns debut, while Sam Winders recalled". stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 16 July 2022.
  56. ^ a b "Silver Ferns' standout Sam Winders eager to back up stellar Constellation Cup form against England". stuff.co.nz. 20 September 2021. Retrieved 22 July 2022.
  57. ^ a b "New Zealand 45-49 England: Roses fight back to win in New Zealand for first time". www.bbc.co.uk. 24 September 2021. Retrieved 21 July 2022.
  58. ^ a b "New Zealand Netball Awards – Winners". nznetballawards.co.nz. Retrieved 15 April 2022.
  59. ^ a b "Silver Fern Sulu Fitzpatrick completes stunning rise with Dame Lois Muir Supreme Medal". stuff.co.nz. 8 December 2021. Retrieved 15 April 2022.
  60. ^ a b "Silver Ferns defender Sulu Fitzpatrick claims top honour at Netball NZ awards". www.nzherald.co.nz. 8 December 2021. Retrieved 15 April 2022.
  61. ^ "Commonwealth Games: Rotorua's Sam Winders left out of Silver Ferns squad for Commonwealth Games". www.nzherald.co.nz. 27 June 2022. Retrieved 16 July 2022.
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  65. ^ "New Zealand vs Australia". mc.championdata.com. 28 January 2018.
  66. ^ "Silver Ferns named to take on Jamaica in Taini Jamison Trophy Final". silverferns.co.nz. 24 March 2018. Retrieved 9 December 2023.
  67. ^ "Taini Jamison Trophy: Jamaica win in thrilling final". World Netball. 26 March 2018. Archived from the original on 5 August 2020. Retrieved 10 December 2023.
  68. ^ "Australia 60–55 New Zealand". mc.championdata.com. 23 September 2018.
  69. ^ "Constellation Cup – Australia 57–42 New Zealand". mc.championdata.com. 7 October 2018. Retrieved 30 March 2022.
  70. ^ "Constellation Cup – New Zealand 47–58 Australia". mc.championdata.com. 18 October 2018. Retrieved 30 March 2022.
  71. ^ "Australia 53–50 New Zealand". mc.championdata.com. 19 January 2019. Retrieved 27 April 2022.
  72. ^ "New Zealand 54-47 England: Silver Ferns rally to clinch series over impressive Roses". www.skysports.com. 31 October 2020. Retrieved 20 July 2022.
  73. ^ "New Zealand 62–47 England". mc.championdata.com. 1 November 2020. Retrieved 27 April 2022.
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  76. ^ "Netball Quad Series: Dame Noeline Taurua names Silver Ferns squad for January tour". www.skysports.com. 22 December 2021. Retrieved 21 January 2022.
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  79. ^ "New Zealand 39–25 England". mc.championdata.com. 6 November 2022. Retrieved 11 December 2022.